Regarding an electronic apparatus such as an information processing apparatus as represented by a personal computer, multiproduct production by built-to-order manufacturing has been required. For example, for a so-called desktop-type information processing apparatus, in response to a request for minimizing the apparatus, use of a thin type optical disk drive having a thickness of 12.7 mm or 9.5 mm has begun, instead of an optical disk drive having a thickness of 5 inches (12.7 cm). In order to increase storage density of the information processing apparatus, a combination of the optical disk drive having the thickness of 5 inches (12.7 cm) together with the thin type optical disk drive having the thickness of 12.7 mm or 9.5 mm is applied in practical use.
On the other hand, for this type of the electronic apparatus, a maintenance inspection is also important. Thus, a method has been desired to easily assemble and disassemble components forming the electronic apparatus at a lower cost with reduced space.
FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate an electronic unit mounted inside a housing of a personal computer being a so-called desktop-type. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A depicted in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic unit depicted in FIG. 1A.
The electronic unit 10 depicted in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 2 is mounted inside the housing made of a sheet metal generally having a thickness of approximately 0.8 mm to 1 mm. The electronic unit 10 mainly includes a unit body part 1, a conversion substrate 2 attached on a lateral surface of the unit body part 1, a bracket part 3 to which the unit body part 1 is attached, and the like.
For example, an external surface of the unit body part 1 is made of aluminum and the like, and the optical disk drive (not shown) being a thin type is mounted inside the unit body part 1.
The bracket part 3 is made of a thin metallic plate or resin. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the unit body part 1 is attached to lateral surfaces 3b and 3c, which are formed extending in a vertical direction from a bottom surface 3a of the bracket part 3, by screws 4a and 4b. Also, the bracket part 3 is mounted inside the housing which is not depicted.
The conversion substrate 2 is fixed by screws 5a and 5b on a lateral surface which does not contact the bracket part 3, in lateral surfaces of the unit body part 1. Various types of connectors 6a through 6c are placed on the conversion substrate 2
In others, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2002-164120 discloses a stopper mechanism which prevents a connector from slipping off or which prevents connector's looseness to be within a tolerance level possible to be electrically connected even if the connector become loose in a case of inserting in and mounting a memory card on the connector, and proposes a configuration for preventing the connector from slipping off due to an external shock to a mobile information terminal apparatus.
However, in aspects depicted in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 2, the unit body part 1 is attached to the bracket part 3 by the screws 4a and 4b. Accordingly, tools in addition to the screws 4a and 4b are required to attach the unit body part 1 to the bracket part 3, and an attachment operation process is required for each of the screws 4a and 4b. If it is attempted to reduce the number of the attachment operation processes, the number of components is increased, and a certain capacity is required for attachment operations.
Moreover, if the bracket part 3 is made of resin, first of all, it is difficult to fix the unit body part 1 with other than the screws 4a and 4b, and it is difficult to thinly form the resin. Thus, the bracket part 3 could be thicker. Also, in a case where the bracket part 3 is made of resin, it is required to separately conduct a process for grounding.
In addition, the bracket part 3 mounted on the unit body part 1 is fixed inside the housing which is not depicted. In order to fix the bracket part 3, components and operation processes are further required.
Furthermore, since the conversion substrate 2 to be mounted on the unit body part 1 is fixed on the lateral surface of the unit body part 1 by the screws 5a and 5b, components and operation processes are further required.
Also, for example, the external surface of the unit body part 1 is made of aluminum and the like. In a case where the bracket part 3 is made of metal such as a sheet metal, the bracket part 3 has higher strength than the unit body part 1. Thus, in a case where angles of bending the lateral surfaces 3b and 3c with respect to the bottom surface 3a of the bracket part 3 are defective, or in a case where a length between the lateral surfaces 3b and 3c of the bracket part 3 is wider than the unit body part 1, if the unit body part 1 is attached to the bracket part 3 by the screws 4a and 4b, the unit body part 1 is drawn to the screws 4a and 4b so that there are is mechanical play, and the unit body part 1 is in danger of being deformed. As a result, damage or a malfunction of the unit body part 1 may be caused.
As a response to the above problems, a highly accurate material may be used as a material of the bracket part 3, or a material more fragile than the material of the unit body part 1 may be used as a material configuring the bracket part 3. In the former case, production cost is increased. In the latter case, fastening itself of the unit body part 1 to the bracket part 3 could be weakened.